Puzzle at a Glance
| |
|---|---|
Puzzle number in The Daily Telegraph
DT 29953 | |
Publication date in The Daily Telegraph
Tuesday, April 5, 2022 | |
Setter
Unknown | |
Link to full review
Big Dave's Crossword Blog [DT 29953]
| |
Big Dave's Crossword Blog review written by
Mr K | |
BD rating
| |
| Difficulty - ★★ | Enjoyment - ★★★ |
Falcon's experience
┌────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐
███████████████████████████████████ └────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ | |
|
Legend:
█ - solved without assistance
█ - incorrect prior to use of puzzle solving tools
█ - solved with assistance from puzzle solving tools
█ - solved with aid of checking letters provided by puzzle solving tools
█ - solved but without fully parsing the clue
█ - unsolved or incorrect prior to visiting Big Dave's Crossword Blog
█ - solved with aid of checking letters provided by solutions from Big Dave's Crossword Blog
█ - reviewed by Falcon for Big Dave's Crossword Blog
█ - yet to be solved
| |
Introduction
In the opening comment on Big Dave's Crossword Blog, Mustafa G sums up today's offering as "Most enjoyable while it lasted, a fun puzzle with some lovely concise clues and no specialist knowledge required. Generous dollop of anagrams and a good variety of straightforward and fair clueing." What more can one say?I invite you to leave a comment to let us know how you fared with the puzzle.
Notes on Today's Puzzle
This commentary is intended to serve as a supplement to the review of this puzzle found at Big Dave's Crossword Blog, to which a link is provided in the table above.
| Markup Conventions | |
|
|
| Click here for further explanation and usage examples of markup conventions used on this blog. | |
Across
| 1a | Provokes // previous lover with quotes (7) |
| 5a | Lectured // son about former education (7) |
| 9a | Guide // animal (5) |
| 10a | Take out // rubbish late and I'm in trouble, finally (9) |
As an anagram indicator, rubbish[1] is used as an adjective denoting of or relating to rubbish (in the sense of nonsense).
The indicator "finally" is a direction to use the final letter of a word in the fodder.
| 11a | Captivating // English knight by singing (10) |
" English " = ENG [Eng.[2]]
" knight " = N[2] [chess notation (N is used for kNight as K is used for King)]
" knight " = N[2] [chess notation (N is used for kNight as K is used for King)]
| 12a | Flipping go // mad (4) |
Scratching the Surface
| |
|---|---|
In the surface reading, flipping[5,10]
(adjective
or adverb) is an informal British term used for emphasis or to express mild annoyance ⇒ (i) are you out of your flipping mind?; (ii) it’s flipping cold today. Origin: a euphemism for the taboo word f**king |
| 14a | Result of exercises in airports, possibly? (12) |
I see the entire clue as a cryptic definition in which the wordplay is embedded.
| 18a | Rabbit // turning around a tree initially (12) |
The indicator "initially" is a direction to use the initial letter of a word in the fodder.
The term rabbit[5] (meaning talk or conversation) is Cockney rhyming slang arising from the expression
"rabbit and pork"[5]. (show more )
Cockneys[5,10], the natives of that part of East London known as the East End[5], speak a dialect (also known as cockney) that is characterized by dropping the aitch (H) from the beginning of words as well as the use of rhyming slang.
In Cockney rhyming slang, a word (in this case, "talk") is replaced by a phrase with which it rhymes (in this case, "rabbit and pork"). Although the entire rhyming phrase may sometimes be used, it is more often the case that the rhyming word (in this case, "pork") is dropped leaving the slang word (in this case, "rabbit"). Thus, through this process, "talk" becomes "rabbit".
The word "pork" , when pronounced in a non-rhotic accent* typical of dialects found in many parts of Britain (especially southeastern England), more or less rhymes with "talk" .
* Non-rhotic accents omit the sound < r > in certain situations, while rhotic accents generally pronounce < r > in all contexts. Among the several dozen British English accents which exist, many are non-rhotic while American English (US and Canadian) is mainly rhotic. This is, however, a generalization, as there are areas of Britain that are rhotic, and areas of America that are non-rhotic. For more information, see this guide to pronouncing < r > in British English.
As for the expression "rabbit and pork", apparently it is common practice to combine these two meats in a dish (as a Google search for 'rabbit and pork recipe' will quickly attest)). One recipe I found sheds some light on why these meats often appear together: "Rabbit can be dry some times so here it is cooked with belly pork and cyder [archaic spelling of cider] to create a warming substantial casserole".
hide
Cockneys[5,10], the natives of that part of East London known as the East End[5], speak a dialect (also known as cockney) that is characterized by dropping the aitch (H) from the beginning of words as well as the use of rhyming slang.
In Cockney rhyming slang, a word (in this case, "talk") is replaced by a phrase with which it rhymes (in this case, "rabbit and pork"). Although the entire rhyming phrase may sometimes be used, it is more often the case that the rhyming word (in this case, "pork") is dropped leaving the slang word (in this case, "rabbit"). Thus, through this process, "talk" becomes "rabbit".
The word "pork" , when pronounced in a non-rhotic accent* typical of dialects found in many parts of Britain (especially southeastern England), more or less rhymes with "talk" .
* Non-rhotic accents omit the sound < r > in certain situations, while rhotic accents generally pronounce < r > in all contexts. Among the several dozen British English accents which exist, many are non-rhotic while American English (US and Canadian) is mainly rhotic. This is, however, a generalization, as there are areas of Britain that are rhotic, and areas of America that are non-rhotic. For more information, see this guide to pronouncing < r > in British English.
As for the expression "rabbit and pork", apparently it is common practice to combine these two meats in a dish (as a Google search for 'rabbit and pork recipe' will quickly attest)). One recipe I found sheds some light on why these meats often appear together: "Rabbit can be dry some times so here it is cooked with belly pork and cyder [archaic spelling of cider] to create a warming substantial casserole".
hide
| 21a | Some bug likes // fruit (4) |
The ugli or ugli fruit[7] is a Jamaican form of tangelo, a citrus fruit created by hybridizing a grapefruit (or pomelo), an orange and a tangerine. (show more )
UGLI is a registered trademark of Cabel Hall Citrus Limited, under which it markets the fruit. It was discovered growing wild (possibly having developed in the same way grapefruit was created) in Jamaica, where it is mainly grown today.
The name is a variation of the word "ugly", which refers to the fruit's unsightly appearance, with rough, wrinkled, greenish-yellow rind, wrapped loosely around the orange pulpy citrus inside.
hide
UGLI is a registered trademark of Cabel Hall Citrus Limited, under which it markets the fruit. It was discovered growing wild (possibly having developed in the same way grapefruit was created) in Jamaica, where it is mainly grown today.
The name is a variation of the word "ugly", which refers to the fruit's unsightly appearance, with rough, wrinkled, greenish-yellow rind, wrapped loosely around the orange pulpy citrus inside.
hide
| 22a | Famous // church with red table vandalised (10) |
" church " = CH [ch[2]]
| 25a | Grass around small pool // came back (9) |
" small " = S[5] [clothing size]
| 26a | Hearing // test (5) |
| 27a | Wanted gentleman without legal document? On the contrary (7) |
| 28a | Democrat quits, dismissing Republican's plans (7) |
" Democrat " = D[5] [member or supporter of the US Democratic Party]
" Republican " = R[5] [member or supporter of the US Republican Party]
Down
| 1d | Less challenging time for one/'s/ religious festival (6) |
| 2d | Pressure // middle distance runner before race to ignore article (6) |
Sebastian Coe[7] is
a British politician and former track and field athlete. As a
middle-distance runner, Coe won four Olympic medals, including the 1500
metres gold medal at the Olympic Games in 1980 and 1984. He set eight
outdoor and three indoor world records
in middle-distance track events. Coe's rivalries
with fellow Britons Steve Ovett and Steve Cram dominated middle-distance
racing for much of the 1980s.
| 3d | Intimidated // doctor treated hen (10) |
| 4d | Shilling -- money /for/ perfume (5) |
In the British currency system used prior to the introduction of the current decimal currency system in 1971, a shilling[5] (abbreviation s[5]) was a coin and monetary unit equal to one twentieth of a pound or twelve pence.
The cent[5] is a monetary unit [usually, if not always, the smallest] in various countries*,
equal to one hundredth of a dollar, euro, or other decimal currency
unit. However, in Britain — despite having adopted a decimal currency
system — one hundredth of a pound is known as a penny rather than a cent.
* Collins English Dictionary lists some 85 jurisdictions having the cent[10] as a monetary unit worth one hundredth of their respective standard units (show list ).
American Samoa, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Australia, Austria, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bermuda, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Brunei, Canada, the Cayman Islands, Cyprus, Dominica, East Timor, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guyana, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosovo, Liberia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, the Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritius, Mayotte, Micronesia, Monaco, Montenegro, Namibia, Nauru, the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles, New Zealand, the Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Réunion, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, the Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Surinam, Swaziland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, the United States, the Vatican City, the Virgin Islands, and Zimbabwe.
hide
* Collins English Dictionary lists some 85 jurisdictions having the cent[10] as a monetary unit worth one hundredth of their respective standard units (show list ).
American Samoa, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Australia, Austria, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bermuda, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Brunei, Canada, the Cayman Islands, Cyprus, Dominica, East Timor, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guyana, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosovo, Liberia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, the Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritius, Mayotte, Micronesia, Monaco, Montenegro, Namibia, Nauru, the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles, New Zealand, the Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Réunion, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, the Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Surinam, Swaziland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, the United States, the Vatican City, the Virgin Islands, and Zimbabwe.
hide
| 5d | Insect -- it's prepared /for/ entomologist? (9) |
| 6d | Road signs regularly going missing? // God! (4) |
In Scandinavian mythology, Odin[5] (also Woden or Wotan) is the supreme god and creator, god of victory and the dead. Wednesday is named after him.
| 7d | Stirring // little drink -- a sign of nerves (8) |
Dram[5] is a Scottish term for a small drink of whisky or other spirits ⇒
a wee dram to ward off the winter chill.
| 8d | Daughter impressing naughty child's removed // bandage (8) |
" daughter " = D [d[2]; genealogy]
| 13d | Expected winners // succeeded after following a very old upper-class ritual (10) |
"upper class " = U
In Britain, U[5] is used informally as an adjective (in respect to language or social behaviour) meaning characteristic of or appropriate to the upper social classes ⇒
The term, an abbreviation of upper class, was coined in 1954 by Alan S. C. Ross, professor of linguistics, and popularized by its use in Nancy Mitford's Noblesse Oblige (1956).
In Crosswordland, the letter U is frequently clued by words denoting "characteristic of the upper class" (such as posh or superior) or "appropriate to the upper class" (such as acceptable).
hide
In Britain, U[5] is used informally as an adjective (in respect to language or social behaviour) meaning characteristic of or appropriate to the upper social classes ⇒
U manners.
The term, an abbreviation of upper class, was coined in 1954 by Alan S. C. Ross, professor of linguistics, and popularized by its use in Nancy Mitford's Noblesse Oblige (1956).
In Crosswordland, the letter U is frequently clued by words denoting "characteristic of the upper class" (such as posh or superior) or "appropriate to the upper class" (such as acceptable).
hide
| 15d | Expelled // South American writer departs with editor (9) |
" South " = S [(S or S.)[1]]
The
use of the word "writer" to clue PEN is likely to be slightly more
cryptic to the Brits than it is to us on this side of the pond. British
solvers will see "pen" as being a writing instrument rather than the person wielding that instrument. (show more )
In addition to defining pen[3,11] as a writing implement, North American dictionaries also define it as a writer or an author ⇒
hide
In addition to defining pen[3,11] as a writing implement, North American dictionaries also define it as a writer or an author ⇒
a hired pen, British dictionaries do not list this meaning although they do show pen[2,4] (or the pen[5,10]) as symbolically representing writing as an occupation (a sense of the word not found in US dictionaries).
hide
| 16d | Got // a cold and left almost embarrassed (8) |
" cold " = C [c[1]; as in 'h and c'[1] (referring to water supply)]
The indicator "almost" is a direction to discard the final letter of a word suggested by the fodder.
The indicator "almost" is a direction to discard the final letter of a word suggested by the fodder.
| 17d | Silly NASA unfortunately losing large // probe (8) |
" large " = L[5] [clothing size]
| 19d | Police leader formerly protecting queen/'s/ procession (6) |
Sting[7] (born Gordon Sumner) is an English musician who, prior to starting his solo career, was the lead singer and bassist of the rock band The Police[7].
"queen " = R [Regina]
Queen may be abbreviated as Q, Qu. or R.
Q[5] is an abbreviation for queen that is used especially in describing play in card games and recording moves in chess.
Qu.[2] is another common abbreviation for Queen.
In the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms*, Regina[5] (abbreviation R[5]) [Latin for queen] denotes the reigning queen, used following a name (e.g. Elizabetha Regina, Queen Elizabeth — often shortened to ER) or in the titles of lawsuits (e.g. Regina v. Jones, the Crown versus Jones — often shortened to R. v. Jones).
* A Commonwealth realm[7] is a sovereign state in the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. Each realm functions as an independent state, equal with the other realms and nations of the Commonwealth. There are currently fifteen Commonwealth realms, the largest being Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom with the remainder being smaller Caribbean and Pacific island nations.
Thus Queen Elizabeth signs her name as 'Elizabeth R' as seen here on Canada's paint-stained constitution[7].
hide
Queen may be abbreviated as Q, Qu. or R.
Q[5] is an abbreviation for queen that is used especially in describing play in card games and recording moves in chess.
Qu.[2] is another common abbreviation for Queen.
In the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms*, Regina[5] (abbreviation R[5]) [Latin for queen] denotes the reigning queen, used following a name (e.g. Elizabetha Regina, Queen Elizabeth — often shortened to ER) or in the titles of lawsuits (e.g. Regina v. Jones, the Crown versus Jones — often shortened to R. v. Jones).
* A Commonwealth realm[7] is a sovereign state in the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. Each realm functions as an independent state, equal with the other realms and nations of the Commonwealth. There are currently fifteen Commonwealth realms, the largest being Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom with the remainder being smaller Caribbean and Pacific island nations.
Thus Queen Elizabeth signs her name as 'Elizabeth R' as seen here on Canada's paint-stained constitution[7].
hide
| 20d | A virile chap turned up embracing 50 // grown-ups (6) |
" 50 " = L[2] [Roman numeral]
| 23d | Finished? // Fixed with minutes to go (5) |
" minutes " = M [(m or m.)[2]]
| 24d | Go round // hill outside university (4) |
"hill " = TOR
A tor[7] is a large, free-standing rock outcrop that rises abruptly from the surrounding smooth and gentle slopes of a rounded hill summit or ridge crest. In the South West of England, the term is commonly also used for the hills themselves – particularly the high points of Dartmoor in Devon and Bodmin Moor in Cornwall.
hide
A tor[7] is a large, free-standing rock outcrop that rises abruptly from the surrounding smooth and gentle slopes of a rounded hill summit or ridge crest. In the South West of England, the term is commonly also used for the hills themselves – particularly the high points of Dartmoor in Devon and Bodmin Moor in Cornwall.
hide
" university " = U [(U or U.)[1]]
References
Key to Reference Sources:
[1] - The Chambers Dictionary, 11th Edition
[14] - CollinsDictionary.com (COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary)
[15] - CollinsDictionary.com (Penguin Random House LLC/HarperCollins Publishers Ltd )
Signing off for today — Falcon
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.